Alonso and Renault take World F1 title
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Image Gallery ( 11 images )September 26, 2005 Fernando Alonso today became the youngest world champion in Formula One history, after his thirteenth podium finish of the 2005 season in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. Starting from pole position, the Spaniard drove a consistent race to claim third position and a championship lead of 23 points with two races remaining in the 2005 season - he therefore has an unassailable lead in the drivers’ championship. At 24 years old, he is the youngest world champion in F1 history. While Renault celebrated, McLaren-Mercedes wondered what might have been had the team found consistency to match its speed. Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen scored a dominant one-two in the race and last year’s champ Michael Schumacher finished fourth for Ferrari. With teammate Rubens Barrichello in sixth place, Ferrari consolidated their third place in the Constructors’ championship, the lead of which was taken by McLaren, now two points ahead of Renault with two races to go. With the title safe, an all-out fight for the constructors’ crown will be the centre of attention of the final two races of the season.
Fernando Alonso said after the race, “It is too early to realise what is happening to me, and I think I will only understand properly in the days to come. So far, I have spoken to the King of Spain, the Prince and the Prime Minister – it is impossible to really say anything about it now. I thought we could fight with the McLarens today but it was clear after the first stops that we couldn’t keep their pace, so I just concentrated on controlling Michael Schumacher behind me, and managing the tyres. The engineers were also worried it might rain, so in the last laps I was really focusing on that, and preserving the tyres, and I was sure there were strange noises coming from the car, so it was only when I crossed the line that I realised I had become world champion! I want to dedicate this championship to my family, and all my close friends who have supported me through my career. Spain is not a country with an F1 culture, and we had to fight alone, every step of the way, to make this happen. A huge thank you to the team as well: they are the best in Formula 1, and we have done this together. It will say that I am world champion, but we are all champions, and they deserve this. Now, I can go to the last two races and enjoy them a bit more. We made some conservative decisions in some of the last races, and now we will be able to race with nothing to lose until the end of the season.
Flavio Briatore, Managing Director Renault F1: “I am just delighted today. For Fernando of course, who has been fantastic all season, and for the team as well. They have produced a fantastic car and even if McLaren has been quicker, the points tell the only story that matters, over nineteen races. Fernando is just 24 years old, and he has been an incredible leader in this championship. The team works to make the car quicker, and he transforms that into results: that gives the team amazing motivation. Of course, we have to thank the team back in Enstone and Viry, all the partners who have supported us to make this championship possible, and everybody at the Renault group: they have all been part of a fantastic adventure. Now, we need to do our best in the constructors’ championship, with Fisico and Fernando both pushing hard. We are doing our best to get closer to McLaren, and to take it down to the final race.
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering Renault F1: “Fernando is a worthy champion, and thoroughly deserves every success he has achieved this year. The race itself was not dramatic for either driver, but it certainly produced a spectacular result. Now, we will be focusing 100% on the constructors’ championship. There is no doubt McLaren are quicker than us, and we relinquished our lead today – albeit by a slender margin. But the team is working hard to develop the car and improve our speed, and we were certainly closer to them this weekend thanks to the developments at Enstone and Viry. We fully intend to take the fight to McLaren right up until Shanghai. But first things first: we will be celebrating a worthy champion this evening, and letting the feeling sink in properly!
The start of the 71 lap race threatened rain, but none came until after the chequered flag. Alonso took off into the lead from Montoya with Raikkonen moving ahead of Fisichella during the first lap, as did Michael Schumacher. Jenson Button was sixth from Christian Klien, then came Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher.
However, a midfield accident involving both Williams and David Coulthard caused a brief safety car interlude. At the restart, Montoya overtook a cautious Alonso going down the hill to turn four and Raikkonen nearly got through too.
In the first 20 laps, Montoya managed to draw out a four second lead, but it was never much more than that. At first, Raikkonen challenged the Renault but then he too began to drop away with as much as a three seconds gap between them. Fisichella got ahead of Michael Schumacher and began to pull away, while Button came next, initially challenged by Klien and Barrichello before he eased away.
The pit stops began on lap 22. Alonso came in first, then Fisichella a lap later with Barrichello. Michael came in on lap 26 and emerged just ahead of Fisichella in fourth place, while Button came in on the same lap. Montoya pitted on lap 28, but Raikkonen didn’t come until virtually half distance, lap 31.
When he rejoined, he was just 1.4s behind Montoya, but even though he was 10s behind, Alonso was still in third place which is where he needed to be to win the Drivers’ championship. Michael was another 14s back, still pushed by Fisichella although the Italian would fall away in fifth place. Once Takuma Sato had made his first stop, Button came next, now with Barrichello on his tail.
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